Momentum boss Jon Lansman insists there is ‘no place’ for George Galloway in Labour
2 min read
Momentum boss Jon Lansman has said George Galloway should not be welcomed back into the Labour party after the former MP called a Jewish comedian a “vile Israel-fanatic”.
Mr Galloway was booted out of Labour in 2003 for bringing the party into disrepute. He went on to hold two seats under the Respect party banner for a brief period.
Reports last year however suggested the left-wing firebrand could make a return to Labour after figures close to Jeremy Corbyn failed to rule it out.
Mr Galloway said in 2015 that he would rejoin the party "pretty damn quick" under its new leadership.
However in a severe blow to his hopes, the Momentum boss accused the former backbencher of peddling anti-Semitism in a Twitter row with David Baddiel.
Mr Galloway tweeted that there "will be no supporter of the Palestinian people marching behind vile Israel-fanatic ‘comedian’ David Baddiel".
The comic is backing a proposed march to protest against Donald Trump when he visits the UK.
Mr Galloway said he would refuse to attend the march if Mr Baddiel and Labour MP Stella Creasy are present.
Mr Lansman instead however offered his “solidarity” to the comedian before criticising the continued employment of Mr Galloway by Talk Radio.
Mr Baddiel also hit back at the attack on Twitter.
The intervention comes just a week after Mr Lansman and two other Momentum candidates were elected on to the party’s National Executive Committee, giving the pro-Corbyn faction a majority on its ruling body.
As Labour's supreme decision-making committee, the NEC plays a key role in the overall direction of the party as well as helping set the rules for leadership contests.
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